


Once Upon a Dream...

by Cobbled_Vibrance



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: A.I.M. too, Angst, F/M, Harsh Language, Hurt/Comfort, Poor Darcy, a terrible dream, all the bad guys - Freeform, in progress, it came in a dream, pre- and -post S.H.I.E.LD., science's slutty cousin - experimentation, who knows where this will go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:20:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29490453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cobbled_Vibrance/pseuds/Cobbled_Vibrance
Summary: You did what you had to do to survive, to get through life.  But you don’t even smile anymore, what was it all for?~Darcy has been missing.  The Avengers investigate a suspected terrorist site.  After a  while, these two events coincide.[in progress][darker][slow burn]
Relationships: Bruce Banner/Darcy Lewis
Kudos: 7





	Once Upon a Dream...

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! Thank you for clicking on this story. Be warned, it is a slow-building story.  
> Please read and review!  
> Disclaimer: I claim no ownership to the Marvel properties noted within this story. This was written for entertainment purposes only.

You did what you had to do to survive, to get through life. But you don’t even smile anymore, what was it all for?  
…  
Everyone talks about the smoke, and the fear, and the heat. No one mentions the light. Some rooms are so bright she cant see through them, so she stumbles down the hallway, choking on sour spit. Her shoes suck – why does this happen on the one day she’s not wearing chucks? Darcy coughs, the smoke creeping down into her lungs and squeezing the air out of her.  
_Jane would’ve figured it out_ Darcy thinks faintly. Fuck. Dead end.  
How did it end up in a dead end? Dead ends should only be in cheap thrillers.  
Perhaps lying down wouldn’t be so bad. Just for a moment…  
…  
Bruce kept reminding people that he was a scientist first. Of course as soon as the next disaster hit, it was all “Do you mind…?” Ha. Like asking if he had a choice made it easier.  
Do I mind. Of course. The more time I am him, the less I can work to throw him away.  
…  
The quinjet hovered over the burning labs. The Avengers gathered at the opening hatch at the rear. Looking down at the flames, Bruce wondered if it was better to just let it peter out. They were in the middle of nowhere. Whoever built this place did a decent job clearing the area, so the fire couldn’t jump to the surrounding forest. Why all the theatrics? And why need the full Avengers?  
Bruce looked at Tony when he clapped a hand on his shoulder, “Look Bruce, this lab is owned by a guy you don’t like.”  
Bruce narrowed his eyes, “Ross?”  
“Um, no.”  
“Reed?”  
“Nope.”  
“…Hammer?”  
“Yup! That’s the one.”  
Bruce sighed, “Tony, he’s _your_ nemesis.”  
Tony laughed, and turned to Thor, “I just can’t keep track of them all!”  
Thor laughed with Tony, then gestured to Clint and Natasha, “What say you, my comrades? Shall we best this monstrous phenomenon?”  
Several clicks sounded from the front, then Steve joined them, “Ok, the quinjet is in standby mode,” he began, “Natasha, Clint, and Tony go and scout the perimeter. I don’t like how bare bones this assignment is.”  
The three nodded- well, Tony threw some gauntled horns – and they leapt from the quinjet.  
Thor, Steve, and Bruce settled in to wait.  
…  
Tony was glad of this mission. It gives him a chance to test out new repulsors. _Since I have to be all stealthy, I can see if the ambient noise from the repulsors is below detectable notice._ Tony nodded at Natasha, who motioned for him to go around east. She and Clint then melted into the surrounding forest, moving to cover the other end of the compound.  
…  
Clint didn’t like this.  
“Nat.” It was all he whispered, but she turned back, and their expressions were the same. _Good. We’re on the same page._  
Natasha turned back, and moved ahead.  
Clint scouted out the highest tree, and began to climb.  
…  
Steve was monitoring the networks, seeing if any chatter was leaving the compound.  
“Anything?” Bruce asked.  
Steve shook his head, then stopped. His fingers slowly moved back on one of the dials, and small static became muffled noises, sounds, singing? Who is singing? No, its not singing. It’s a chant…?  
Steve slowly began to calibrate the other dials, trying to make out the words….  
…  
Tony moved overhead, towards the center of the compound, “Jarvis. Scan for identifying marks.”  
…  
Clint made it to the top, balancing on one of the uppermost branches. Hoisting his bow to position, he peered through the lens,  
“20 count, patrolling still through the flames – how though?’ He murmured into his comms, sweeping the lens to look at the far end of the compound, “1 count at far end of complex. Just standing there. They looks like he’s on fire, but, he’s calm? Nat, do you see anything?”  
…  
Natasha had slunk to the building’s concrete walls. They were cool to the touch. She moved to one entrance. Looking down the hall to the front doors, she saw the beginning of flames, felt some heat, and saw some smoke. All pointed to a real disaster. However, “Same here. Guards at their normal posts. No reaction to the chaos further inside. Stark?”  
…  
Tony responded to the comms, “Uh, ok, but you’re not gonna like this.” He sent his visual to all team members.  
…  
Bruce opened his comms link to view Tony’s intel, just as Steve figured out the radio.  
“HAIL HYDRA! HAIL HYDRA!” echoed throughout the jet, as the holographic of a crate of supplies with Hydra’s emblem went up on the viewscreen.  
…  
Fuck.  
Steve went full command-mode, “Stark, see what is causing these fake flames.” He snapped out, “Natasha, infiltrate, get intel on who is inside. Clint, maintain post, let us know if any movement begins outside.” He paused, “Use lethal force to subdue.”  
Steve threw his comms down, then quickly scrubbed a hand over his face, before turning to look at Bruce and Thor, “Can you both go and-“  
“Steve,” Nat broke in, sounding breathless, “Got through the first round of security checks-“  
_How does she do that so fast?_ , Bruce thought,  
“And there are some cells here, as well as some Hammer Industries personnel. At least they have the ID cards that say so.”  
“Got some news on my end about that,” Tony responded, sounding pretty grim,” Looks like my old pal Hammer has been doing some contracting on the side. His trademark is all over this simulation. Some of these crates have been scanned and they have Hammer’s shoddy tech inside.”  
“Tony, land and make your way to wherever this fire is being hosted. We need to shut it down and get enough to test out why this specific tech got on SHIELD’s radar.” Steve ordered, “Nat, wait til Thor gets to your point, then both of you help any civilians you come across while looking for intel.” Steve turned to Thor, who nodded and flew out of the jet.  
Bruce and Steve turned back to the radio, which was picking up a lot more chatter, “Guys,” Steve said, “You’ve been noticed.”  
Steve clicked off the comms, then asked Bruce, “How much you want to bet its Tony?”  
Bruce let out a small chuckle, “No bet. Its always Tony.”  
…  
_Damnit!_ Tony cursed his way through the compound. _Maybe instead of testing repulsors, I should – ow- test soundproofing this armor! Fuck! Although the whole point is to fly! Not to tramp down a fucking hallway – ow! Ok, who is shooting at me?? Like, I’m wearing armor dude. You know that’s not going to work out. Yeah it echoes when the bullet hits the armor, but I’m ok- _Tony turned and fired a quick repulsor blast at the team situated at the far end of a hallway. He wasn’t planning on exploring any side passages, with Jarvis scanning the surrounding area, but a bunch of goons protecting a set of double doors? “Jarvis, focus scan.”  
“It appears as though some device is radiating energy levels at much higher levels than the original post. The energy signature matches a previous encounter.”  
“Oh yeah, from where?” Tony asked absently, moving over the defeated security force. He stumbled at Jarvis’s response,  
“Manhattan.”  
…  
“There’s movement towards the trucks.” Clint reported.  
“Take them out.” Steve replied, thinking _God DAMN it._  
…  
“Bruce,” Tony called, his voice crackling over the comms, “I need you down here- “ a small explosion sounded on his end, “Now.” Tony demanded.  
…  
Natasha broke in, “Found signage that Thor interpreted. It talks of the tesseract –“  
“Loki’s malfeasance knows no bounds!” Thor interjected, fury coloring his roar.  
“Steve, there’s crates of weapons down here.” Natasha concluded. “We need you here.”  
Steve thought rapidly.  
_Hammer is a small fry, but still has access to raw weapon materials. Hammer works with Hydra. Hyrda makes a deal with Loki. Loki gives them alien tech? Oh God, what did Loki want after Manhattan? He already had an alien army to call on, and- oh, wait…_ Steve finished his thought as he locked the quinjet, _Why bother wasting alien resources, when there’s already an organization primed to sow chaos on the planet._ Steve jumped from the jet, _Loki, you sunuvabitch. These weapons are pennies, these lives are pennies, compared to your true resource._ Steve landed, rolling to absorb impact, before running towards Natasha and Thor. He spoke on the comms,  
“Loki wanted power. What better way than to stage a war he knew he could win?”  
He waited a beat for Tony to stop cursing, “Natasha. Thor. I’m en route. Clint, how is it looking up there?”  
Clint notched an arrow before responding, “All visible vehicles have been disengaged-“  
Thor turned to Natasha, who anticipated his question, “Electrical projectile to the engine block.” Thor nodded, and turned back to translate the signs.  
“I am taking the perimeter out. East and north side clear. Your path only has 2 hostiles-” a pause, “1 hostile-” another, longer pause, “West side clear Cap. You’re good to go.”  
“Thanks Hawkeye. Maintain surveillance. Cap Out.”  
…  
Bruce felt very unprepared. After dropping from the quinjet, he jogged over to the complex perimeter.  
“Clint, confirm?”  
“You’re clear Bruce.” Came the reply.  
Bruce made his way to the interior.  
…  
_Need release  
No.___

____NO._ _ _ _

____Not. Yet.  
_ _ _ _

…  
Tony’s path was easy to follow. Some scorched walls, and lots of unmoving bodies. Bruce knelt at one and felt a small pulse.  
Small victories.  
The personnel had Hammer ID badges, as Natasha said. Many, however, also wore small pins with a unique insignia.  
Bruce made a note of it, then moved along.  
…

These bodies were different. No lab coats, no ID cards. They looked like civilians, dressed in ragged surplus scrubs. How did they get here? "Jarvis, scan for bios." Tony stepped over the bodies, then bent to look at one. She looked like she collapsed from where she was standing. odd...  
"Sir, " Jarvis interjected into his thoughts, "These people require immediate medical attention. Bio sensors indicate moderate levels of smoke and heat inhalation; several have blisters on their extremities." _hmm_ , Tony made another scan of the room, "Jarvis bud, that doesn't make any sense, there's no sign of anything here that would affect all these guys."  
Nevertheless, Tony pinged Steve on the comms, "Cap, we got civilians here. Need evac ASAP." There was an affirmative grunt over the comms.  
Some metal dinged against a wall - Tony turned, "Well hey, look what the cat dragged in."  
Bruce managed a small smile, which melted away as he bent to examine the group, "Interesting..." he muttered, then turned to another. After a moment, he looked up at Tony,  
"Did Jarvis...?"  
"Yeah, filled me in. Symptoms of being in a huge fire, dunno the cause. It's definitely weird."  
Bruce stood up, and pointed down the hall, "What about her?" Tony turned, and moved with Bruce to a prone figure, who looked like she collapsed while running. "Was she reaching for something?" Tony looked at the direction her outstretched hand was pointing towards while Bruce examined her pulse. "ETA 15 minutes helivac carrier." crackled over the comms. "Now we have a count down." quipped Tony, "Wonder where those doors lead?"


End file.
